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Gozen Joi
Gozen Joi is an elf from the Eastern Kingdom. She is the younger (step) sister of Yokoro Songhann and a handmaiden to the current main Empress, Amaya Shotaro. She is the typical handmaiden, working to keep the royal palace tidy and preparing tea for guests, as well as managing the tea house from time to time. (It should be noted that she's a retired character. I have no plans to bring her back in the future.) Appearance Gozen is an elf with a brighter complexion, standing at 5'8. She has a normal body type, not being very fit for combat, although she is pretty agile for her age. She has very long, pointy ears, and some earrings adorning them. Her ginger-colored hair is pretty long at shoulder-length, even with a bun tied to the back. Outfit Gozen normally wears her mancer attire that she attained from the Monastery of the Mask. It consists of a red Eastern-styled "hakama" with fitting red sleeves and a small, thin layer of a vest wrapped around the torso. She also wears an old ceremonial fan that she had from when she was young to add a bit of flair to it. When she is working, she usually dons a garb more traditionally worn by working maidens, consisting of a simple, long dark "hakama," a light colored open gi, and a long, loose white sash that wraps around her waist. She has small wooden "geta" sandals. She wears some cloth around her head and body in the style of bandaging so as to keep cool with a light layer of covering on her. Biography Early Life Gozen Joi, named after a skilled warrior in legend, was born in the Eastern Kingdom - years after the famine ended. She didn't know much of her father, only knowing he passed away before she could remember. Living in a household with her aunt and uncle, she practically didn't get enough time to see her mother due to her close involvement within the Eastern politics, although exactly what she did was a mystery. Gozen spent her early years outside of the kingdom's walls and being raised in the farmlands. She would enjoy running around and rolling in the flowers on the hillsides. Occasionally, she'd see her mother again whenever she had small vacations. It was notable, however, how tired her mother looked, and even to the point of exhaustion. Gozen was still humored by her mother, as she spent whatever time she could with her daughter - either looking at pictures she made or telling stories. Some say Gozen's behavior comes from her more "cheery" mother, though the same could be said for her aunt. Living in the East While growing up with her aunt and uncle, she learned a lot from them. She grew to be independent, even as a child, and was taught how to clean, maintain the house, and basic cooking at a younger age. By the time she was considered a young adult, she was able to maintain the house on her own, though not by choice, as her uncle had already passed and her aunt was in ailing condition. Eventually, her aunt pushed for Gozen, who was like a daughter, to move into the Kingdom and serve the Empress so that her mother could properly retire. Somehow, through fortune or even her own mother's recommendation, Amaya Shotaro granted her a spot as a young handmaiden, and Gozen worked tirelessly for her in the palace. Along with the other handmaidens, Gozen was more oriented towards getting the chores done and being by the Empress' side. She lived in a modest home right next to the training grounds and lived there so that she could be called on short notice in case the Empress needed her. It wasn't until later in her adult life that her mother told her she was too weak and frail to live in the Eastern Kingdom - partially due to her nature as a workaholic. She could never truly retire and recover from her ailing condition unless she parted with her beloved land, which is when Gozen learned her mother was going to remarry to a man in Ludwag. While it put her current plans on hold, Gozen accompanied her mother, and although wary at first, meeting her older step-sister, Yokoro for the first time had a very great impact on her. Gozen always wanted a sister, and with an older sister like Yokoro to look out for her, she felt a lot less "alone" in the aspect of being an only child and having another great friend close to her age. Unfortunately, Gozen's mother died about a decade after she married, causing Gozen to be a bit distraught. Still, having a sister to help her through these harsh times - as well as a recent niece, she was able to be pulled out of her grief. Because of this, she uses the surname from her mother's side of the family, "Joi," even though she is still a part of the main family. She wishes to do any good deed, such as serving under the Empress, and bring some honor to her mother's name. Artistic Endeavors Throughout her life, Gozen spent a lot of her spare time as a child drawing. While she wasn't the best at drawing landscapes or structures, she eventually became a part of an artistic niche in where she drew portraits of certain people. She always had time, such as when it rained or when she was free from any work, to grab a parchment and paint pictures using brushes. To Gozen, it was very relaxing to sit down and draw someone and show them, later, originally giving her old pictures to her aunt and uncle to see. Some of her drawings would have an impact on her niece, Hiroka, making her yearn to earn a career in art. Gozen has drawn a few pictures commissioned by royalty, too, making a small name for herself as an artisian. Sometimes, she jokes that she became skilled with a katana by the "patience" of painting. Of course, this is actually a small fib she tells people. In truth, she's actually rather mediocre with a katana, and still learning to use one properly along with her telemancy. She would prefer a smaller weapon, such as a knife, but has been training to use a longer blade due to more practicality. Monastery of the Mask After Grandmaster Zin traveled to the East and created relations with their Monastery and the Kingdom of Shijon, mancers came to and fro in order to learn under him. Gozen had, herself, unlocked her mancy at a later age due to the available resources in East and encouraged need of mancer. However, she never used it much outside of teleportation, and one instance of trying to create a doppelganger to prank someone. When she joined Zin's monastery, she learned much more about mancy, in general, such as how to conserve vitor, how to practice casting and conjuring her mancy more effectively, the effects (and dangers) of vitshroom potion, and much more. Through her time in the Monastery, she eventually raised through the ranks and became a member of the council, engaging in the Monastery's actions and to keep up their relation with the Eastern Kingdom. Gozen enjoyed making friends with everyone at the Monastery, gladly enlarging her group of friends and setting her up for more use in her mancy when she needed it. Work Under the Empress While working under Empress Amaya Shotaro, Gozen carried out a wide array of tasks meant for handmaidens. Most of the time, she was by the Empress' side during meetings, and when Amaya sat down with higher-ups from other kingdoms, Gozen would prepare tea and sit down beside her Empress. Other tasks involved sending scrolls and carrying out diplomatic duties with the Central Kingdom. Most of the time, the handmaidens would run the tea house in the Eastern Kingdom, with Gozen spending a good amount of her time keeping it running, herself. She prepared teas such as Eastern, Desert Spice, Green, Chai, and various other flavors of tea, as well as cooking a few small meals to go with them. Now that times are getting busier in the Kingdom, Gozen isn't seen as much except besides the Empress during certain meetings. Of course, things were only busier once her step-sister, Yokoro, came abroad to the East. Now with both of them living under one roof, they strive to carry out their respective tasks, and with Gozen cheering on her sister as she ascends to Lieren Zhanshu, she feels content with lifting everyone's spirits however she can, especially with the recent death of the beloved General Riyo. While she's busy, herself, she does get some free time on occasion - which she chooses to spend with a significant other. Trivia * Gozen's name came from a samurai named "Tomoe Gozen," who isn't a part of official FL lore, but can be assumed to be an old female samurai from East's history (or not). * Gozen usually tried to be peppy and cheery due to dealing with the death of her mother, as well as being lonely from her parent being busy a lot in her life. She loves to encourage her companions from the sidelines - almost in a motherly fashion. * The former is why she usually acts cheery and happy with everyone else; she loves company and treats her friends like family, often in her happy 'chirpy' attitude. She cherishes them dearly due to knowing how it feels to be without friends. * Not as strict as her older sister, Yokoro, Gozen often cheered on her friends and even the Eastern guards, both in victory or in failure, as they would always do their best to serve the Empress. * Whenever Gozen visited her sister in Ludwag, she would pull of a lot of mischievous acts, such as painting a mustache on her when she slept, scaring her while wearing a pumpkin mask, somehow planting a group of live lobsters outside of her room to prevent her from leaving, and tickling her to drop a precious vase. * Yokoro would often get back at her by using her old slingshot to shoot her with pebbles (and on some occasions, firecrackers). * More of Gozen's art can be seen, below: